[Glutton]

We have tons of raccoons and possums locally too. And I am not surprised a city heavy with environmentalists would have such hand wringing to do about this topic.

A friend of mine was kicked out of an environmentalist watering hole of a coffee shop for pitch forking a possum bothering the neighbor's dogs. Idiots.

We also have an outbreak of heartworms to worry about. These are carried by mosquitoes, and normally is an affliction found in the Southeast.

Mother Nature would handle an over population of carnivores like housecats by culling out the excess.

Now what's so hard about that?

[Eaker]

You are obligated to post a recipe with each response.

Stay safe; stay armed.

[Dakmar]

We had a little problem with feral cats here in my W. Indianapolis neighborhood. Someone had moved out and left a half-dozen cats or so behind. The little old neighbor ladies, not exactly greenie-weanies, just sweet old ladies, kept feeding them, and we were up to about 15 cats living in bushes, behind and under tool sheds, and everywhere else cats hang out. I rented a trap and caught eight of them the first week. One of them bit the crap out of me.

[Sungirl]

Why don't people try to help instead of calling it a problem. Catch a cat and have it fixed. Try to do the RIGHT thing...don't be lazy or don't be cheap..try to HELP the situation....let it have a life...after all...it was a HUMAN that left it homeless. If people would have their cats fixed...there would be no problem. Poor cats....so misunderstood. It's such a huge sad dilemma......and people just call them problems.....when all along it is people that are the problem.

[Sungirl]

Acid Rain May Hinder Bird Breeding

And they want to blame it on cats....

[scholar]

Mother Nature would handle an over population of carnivores like housecats by culling out the excess.

The fact about cats is that they breed far more prolifically than racoons or opossums. A female cat is either in heat or pregnant all year round. Feeding feral cats provides an environment which does not necessarily make them subject to the same laws of population control as pertains to native species.

Just for the record--I am a major animal lover. I've saved more than a few cats--mostly domesticated, who were dumped by their butthead owners. I say the trap, neuter and release programs for feral cats, where available, is a good plan--but just feeding them so they can make more sick and starving cats doesn't work for me.

[galt-jw]

...feed the rats to the cats, and the cats to the rats, and get the cat skins for nothing....

Husker Du, "How to Skin a Cat"

[Terriergal]

Mother Nature would handle an over population of carnivores like housecats by culling out the excess. Now what's so hard about that?

I agree.

[Terriergal]

Although honestly, I'd probably feel too bad to shoot a kitty myself unless it were dangerous or ill or injured. Even then I'd rather get my hubby to do it. {:-\

[primeval patriot]

Some landlords don't understand if they get rid of feral cats in their area, more will move in," she says.

In that case, keep shooting them as you see them.

Logic would dictate that the feral kitty population will eventually decrease.

What a bunch of bedwetting crybabies.

[MD_Willington_1976]

We have some huge, mean looking, Jet-Black feral cats around our place. I think they killed our neighbours house cat. A few of the dead feral cats have been autopsied at the local university, they were found to have feline leukemia and a virus similar to aids (feline immuno deficient or something). They are a real problem around here but we are not aloud to get rid of them. Dont get me wrong, I agree with people owning pets, but most of these cats are left behind to fend for themselves when the students leave town.

[Mr. Jeeves]

We have very few feral cats where I live - they quickly become midnight snacks for the coyotes and foxes.

[Cacique]

I bet ya that if a Chinese restaurant opened nearby the cats would dissapear in a week. :-)

[Richard M. Nixon]

Whoops, thought this was an article on Teddy Kennedy...